Yankees' four homers in second inning spark 10-2 win over Red Sox

NEW YORK — For the past three weeks, Mark Teixeira had been a nothing more than an interested observer to the continuing cliffhanger that has been the American League East division race. His Yankees going back and forth with the Baltimore Orioles, unable to pull away from that pesky team from Charm City, left the first baseman with a rather helpless feeling as he rehabbed from a left calf strain.

So when he got his chance to do something about it Monday night, Teixeira didn’t disappoint — smacking the Yankees’ fourth home run of the second inning in a 10-2 rout of the Boston Red Sox.

But more importantly, when he glanced at the out-of-town scoreboard at the end of the night, it showed a Baltimore loss.

Now, he felt like he was part of something.

“It’s human nature,” Teixeira said. “You’re going to look at the scoreboards — it’s up there all game. Happy that we won and happy that the Orioles lost, obviously.”

So is the rest of the pinstripe contingent in the Bronx.

Because after 160 games and two months of trying baseball, the Yankees control their own destiny this morning.

Another win Tuesday over the Red Sox and another Orioles’ loss to the Tampa Bay Rays means that there will be champagne popped in the home team’s clubhouse. That for the third time in four years, the Yankees will be the AL East division champions — something that means just a little bit more this season because the team that loses out on that, goes to a one-game wild-card playoff on Friday.

“I’m glad we have a lead,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “I guess that’s the best way to describe it. It sure beats the alternative.”

Although with the way the Yankees thoroughly dismantled the remains of the rival Red Sox Monday, they might not have to think about any more alternatives.

The four home runs in the second inning — where the Yankees sent 13 batters to the plate — tied a franchise record. Robinson Cano (31 homers), Curtis Granderson (41), Russell Martin (21) and Teixeira (24) all went deep in the frame, chasing Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz (11-8) from the game after just 1⅔ innings of work. The nine-run inning was more than enough for starter CC Sabathia (15-6), who appears to be rounding into postseason form just when the Yankees need it most.

“Excited,” Sabathia said when asked when saw the nine-spot on the board. “Wanted to get them back in the dugout when I had a chance to get out there, I just trying to stay loose and make good pitches to get them back in the dugout.”

In spite of the early blowout, there was no question whether or not Sabathia would stay in the game. It would have been easy to let Sabathia rest with an early hook on the night, but Girardi said that wasn’t in the cards. With the way the big left-hander expertly worked through eight innings of near-flawless baseball — striking out seven and scattering four hits — the Yankees manager wanted to let his ace get work in.

And do something else in the process. Something that might mean a lot more Tuesday night or Wednesday.

“I’m not worried about Friday,” Girardi explained. “I’m worried about today. And now that today is over, I’m worried about tomorrow. I think if you start think ahead, you put yourself in a bad position. And with (David) Phelps going tomorrow, I want a full bullpen. I think that’s important.”

More important? Those two results on the scoreboard at the end of business Monday night.

“We’ve wanted to win the division all year,” Teixeira said. “The wild card this year is not a good second place. So, first place has always been our No. 1 goal. So yeah, we win the next two games, that’s where we’re going to end up.”